Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

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  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
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  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes 010-02553-00 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
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  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
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  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
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  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem
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Garmin 5208 Review

The Garmin 5208 front panel offers a sleek look with only a single power button on the bezel. Everything else in this marine chartplotter is controlled via touch screen fields serving as pushbuttons, alphanumeric keys, or prompts.

Like its siblings, the 5208 will display radar information, fish finder data from an associated black box sounder, and graphic weather when connected to an XM receiver.

garmin 5208 touch screen display

The Garmin 5208 multi-function display

It can also show AIS info, a video input, and some NMEA 2000 data, as well as connect to NMEA 0183 devices all through dedicated connectors on the back of the display.

Power is supplied through a twist lock connection on the back too. The Garmin 5208 has an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning it could withstand submersion to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

This unit comes preloaded with Garmin Bluechart g2 U.S. coastal cartography and will support Bluechart g2 Visions chart cards. Using a Bluechart Visions in the 5208 would add 3D views both above and below the water surface as well as extensive satellite and aerial photo coverage.

Screen Size and Viewability

The Garmin 5208 is a relatively large marine chartplotter and requires a fair amount of panel space. It measures 10.1 inches wide, 6.8 inches high, and 4.2 inches deep. The display screen is 6.7 inches wide by 5 inches high and measures 8.4 inches on the diagonal. Resolution is a very respectable 640 x 480.

The screen on the Garmin 5208 was bright and sharp; we rated it excellent for daylight viewing. We noticed little to no screen darkening when looked at the screen from severe side angles. When we put on our polarized sunglasses the screen looked good from straight in front, but at severe side angles we experienced moderate darkening. No screen fogging was noted at anytime during our review.

Buy this Garmin touch screen MFD here.

To enhance low light viewing the screen on the 5208 can be set to dim and change color palette automatically. We tried the auto dimming system as well as operated it manually and found both worked well. Darker coloration is used in the night color palette to improve nighttime viewability. We rated the 5208 good for night viewability.

Operation